Help! Synthroid and weight loss

nevilles

Hi Jennifer,

As you can see, hypothyroidism is a common problem. I'm a physician, and although this is not "official" medical advice (since we have never met), here are some thoughts:

1. It takes a couple of months for your thyroid levels to become stable on your dose of synthroid. It's normal in that time for you to feel different.

2. You will need follow up blood work 6-8 weeks to see if your level is right. If it is not, then your physician should change the dose slightly and then blood work again in 8 weeks. This continues until the right dose is found. Everyone is different, so the medicine comes in a bunch of strengths and your physician has to titrate it like that until the right dose is found. Sometimes their first choice turns out perfect. The average woman ends up on about 0.117 mg, or 117 mcg. However, doses from 0.050 to 0.250 are common.

3. Many people eventually lose some weight on the medicine.

4. It's normal for your appetite to pick up, since your metabolism is coming back to life. Keep working on the basics, exercise and eating good choices, and your calorie goals.

5. It doesn't really matter what time you take the medicine, as long as you are consistent. Morning, evening, before bed, doesn't matter. Just take it on an empty stomach, as in 1 hr before eating or 3 hrs after. Again, doesn't matter which one.

6. If you miss a dose, take it when you remember. If you miss the whole day, it's ok to take two the next day. But try not to make that a habit.

Over time the side effects will settle down. Experiment with different times of day until you find what works best for you.

Hope this helps.

N

cfurman0922

I was diagnosed with hashimoto's at the age of 30 after having gained and gained and finally hit my top weight of 263 pounds. I had seen a few doctors who put me on synthroid and it never worked for me. I had tried the Body for Life program, working out 6 days a week and sticking to the diet religiously and had lost nothing. I tried acupuncture and natural supplements. I just gave up. Then I found a doctor who wasn't even an endo but a GP and a naturopath. He put me on Armour thyroid and a low calorie diet along with vitamin supplements after checking to see what I was deficient of (Vitamin d, vitamin b and magnesium). It was the combination of being on the right amount of medication and the low calorie diet that worked for me and I lost 70 pounds. I moved away from Florida and have yet to find another doctor who was willing to prescribe an amount of hormone based upon my symptoms and not just my bloodwork (I have psoriasis that worsens whenever my levels are off, and I get sever exhaustion and brain fog). I have been up and down since then, and I am on way less armour than I used to be with this new doctor (I also found that my levels were crazy and all over the place during and after both my pregnancies) but I am determined to lose weight and be at better shape at 40 than I am at 37 (I am currently 231 pounds). I highly recommend finding a doctor that is willing to prescribe armour and get your thyroid antibodies checked to make sure you just have hypothyroidism and not hashimotos which is an auto immune disease that causes hypothyroidism. According to be thyroid scan, my gland looks like swiss cheese!

SLE0803

bump.

bayan2010

Hi,

I take it every morning, for the past 10 months. I was surprised to find out I had hypothyroidism too, but looking back, the symptoms were pretty clear.......dry skin, foggy memory, brittle hair and 20 lbs weight gain in less than a year.
My doc told me to take it on an empty stomach, so I take it first thing in the morning before my shower, and then I wait an hour to eat. Sometimes it's more like 45 minutes.

Get your blood levels checked every 3 months to ensure they've got you on the right doseage. The first 3 months are an adjustment period, but it sounds like your metabolism has really responded, if you are hungry all the time! Just ride it out, lose some weight, stay active, and hopefully your body will sort out whatever was going on. After a while (year or more) you could try going off the meds again, under your doc's supervision.

Anyway, it looks like you've got some good advice here. Best of luck.

farmmandy

I began name brand Synthyroid the last week in April of this year. I felt mentally better 2 weeks later. I joined Weight Watchers on May 19th. I had been exercising and eating right before and would gain weight or stay the same. Now, 4 months later, I am down 37 pounds!!!! I feel better than I have in 10 years. The pharmacist told me she only allows her mother to get the name brand also....

caitlyn30

I take it, and I've lost 31 pounds no problem. that was my symptoms too, my hair was falling out and mostly I couldn't think clearly.
I've never had a stomach ache by taking it. I take it an hour before I eat in the morning.

firstsip

The shelft life of my thyroid drugs is VERY short. If you are getting your drugs from a mail order pharamcy - there is no telling how old they are. A retail pharmacy has a higher turnover, and therefore fresher drugs. Try getting a fresh batch of meds. (My mom is a pharmacist and my dad is on thyroid meds)

Are you on Armour? Short shelf life makes sense to me there, but what about other thyroid drugs? This is news to me--I get 90 day bottles, so now I'm wondering about this!

Raynne413

My doctor told me to take my Synthroid first thing in the morning on an empty stomach with bottled or distilled water. Not to take any other pills for at least two hours. And not to eat for at least an hour.

Unfortunately, I'm having more trouble losing weight now that I'm on it than I did before.

saverys_gal

Bump! Hoping to be put on meds next week by a new endo and want to have more info!

rladd6421

i am also a 3rd shifter, i take my synthroid (namebrand 100mcg) as soon as i wake up. I shower and get ready for work which is usually about 30-45 minutes, then i eat my dinner/breakfast whatever you want to call it. I have been on thyroid meds on and off since i was about 14 (34 now) and i see my endocrinologist twice a year. I've lost 36lbs so far since march and i have never had stomach cramps, but it will take a few weeks for your body to adjust to taking the meds, or maybe you need to be on brandname meds.

jennifercreighton

I cannot even begin to tell all of you how wonderful it is to hear your stories. It gives me hope. I called my dr today and she said its ok to take half if I want to see if that changes the symptoms. I am not sure I want to give up just yet.

I think I'll try a few of you suggestions for experimenting with time of the dose.
Has anyone experienced any differences by taking it before bed? Perhaps I can sleep through the symptoms, which would be great!
I will heed you advice on the fiber, carbs, etc too.

Friend me if you want because I'd love to keep in touch with people like me!

Xo
Jen

PaleoPath4Lyfe

I take Armour Thyroid for my issues due to the fact that the T3 to T4 converion was not correct, even though my TSH was in the "normal" range.

CarSidDar

I am on 200mg after having my thyroid removed last October. Was 16 years before that hypothyroid and felt terrible. After the thyroid was removed I feel much better.

I take my synthroid when I go to bed. Always have. No side effects ever.

Many people end up on antidepressants when they are hypo as their doctors treat the depression that way instead of upping the thyroid meds.

caro1275

Thank you so much for posting! I was also just diagnosed recently and taking the same medication. This is very helpful. I take my medication right before bed and I am happy to have more confirmation that this is ok

Hi Jennifer,

As you can see, hypothyroidism is a common problem. I'm a physician, and although this is not "official" medical advice (since we have never met), here are some thoughts:

1. It takes a couple of months for your thyroid levels to become stable on your dose of synthroid. It's normal in that time for you to feel different.

2. You will need follow up blood work 6-8 weeks to see if your level is right. If it is not, then your physician should change the dose slightly and then blood work again in 8 weeks. This continues until the right dose is found. Everyone is different, so the medicine comes in a bunch of strengths and your physician has to titrate it like that until the right dose is found. Sometimes their first choice turns out perfect. The average woman ends up on about 0.117 mg, or 117 mcg. However, doses from 0.050 to 0.250 are common.

3. Many people eventually lose some weight on the medicine.

4. It's normal for your appetite to pick up, since your metabolism is coming back to life. Keep working on the basics, exercise and eating good choices, and your calorie goals.

5. It doesn't really matter what time you take the medicine, as long as you are consistent. Morning, evening, before bed, doesn't matter. Just take it on an empty stomach, as in 1 hr before eating or 3 hrs after. Again, doesn't matter which one.

6. If you miss a dose, take it when you remember. If you miss the whole day, it's ok to take two the next day. But try not to make that a habit.

Over time the side effects will settle down. Experiment with different times of day until you find what works best for you.

Hope this helps.

N

joanmc12

I have hyoothyrodism to i have had it for 10 years i was up to 199 pounds my doctor said the weight has to come off because i have other health problems an the weight is causing more problems. I tried a tried it wouldn't come off so i read something on a website about thyroid an weight loss an i tried it i have lost 23 pounds yey !!!! I take my thyroid medicine at bedtime i haven't told my doctor yet he might flip out !!! But it works for me .

joanmc12

I take my levothyroixine at bedtime i have lost 23 pounds !!!

kristanickerson

My doc started my dose at 75mcg so there was no gradual increase. I think I want to cut it in half and try that for 2-3 weeks to see if that helps. Is that dumb? Dangerous?

I think your Dr. is the only person who can answer that question (they have your history, you're a nurse, I'm not telling you anything you don't know)

My b/f has been on Synthroid for a long long time, has blood work every 3 months and it gets adjusted occasionally it's not always black and white it seems. If you're having symptoms you can't live with (like any prescribed med) I think you need to make the prescribing Dr. aware. That could affect how they prescribe to you in the future.

vkruithof

I take 125mcg 5 days a week and 250 mcg 2 days a week. I have been taking this medication for @ 20 years. I've lost 28#, am not having any problems. My medication says that I need to wait at least 30 minutes. I haven't had any problems doing it this way. You CAN lose weight with hypo, it just is harder depending on how much you need to lose. Lucky me, I have a lot to lose, I should be okay for a while. Haha.

You should be okay, just keep taking the advice of your doctor. Chin up and focus on getting better first, then the weight.

anwilson_83

i also take synthroid,so does my 9 year old daughter. i feel the same exact way. i feel starved alot too. it makes it so hard. and i dont feel like working out half the time either. i just have to make myself. i normally feel a little better once i do. my stomach hurts and i get that bloating feeling alot too,my daughter has pretty bad stomach issues from it too. and it makes it VERY hard to lose weight,well for me it does anyway. i was always told to take my synthroid when i very first wake up so thats what ive always done. then wait at least 30 mins before i eat. its hard but just keep trying ,you can do it

jmp1031

I've been on it since April and I have had no stomach problems at all. You have to take it 1st thing in the morning on an empty stomach, then wait at least 30 mins to an hour to eat, otherwise you mess with the meds absorption in your system. I have lost about 15 pounds since i've been on it, but it's still a struggle just like in the few months before i was diagnosed and was actually trying to lose. it's no longer a "calories in calories out" game with hypothyroidism and that is SO frustrating! I have definitely NOT gained any weight on the med. i read a book called "The Thyroid Diet Revolution" and it was really helpful for info about the condition as well as trying to lose weight while hypothyroid.

vkruithof

I have hyoothyrodism to i have had it for 10 years i was up to 199 pounds my doctor said the weight has to come off because i have other health problems an the weight is causing more problems. I tried a tried it wouldn't come off so i read something on a website about thyroid an weight loss an i tried it i have lost 23 pounds yey !!!! I take my thyroid medicine at bedtime i haven't told my doctor yet he might flip out !!! But it works for me .

I've had my doctor suggest to take all of my meds at bedtime before and I was for a long time. I stopped, but not because of the thyroid. What website advice did you find on thyroid and weightloss?

LorryGuthrie

I take mine before bed every night...mainly cuz that's about the only thing that helped me remember to take it! I don't eat after 7 and go to bed around 10...

_HeathBar_

I just wanted to put in my 2 cents. I'm currently a pharmacy student and have access to many drug information references.

Synthroid will not make you gain weight. In fact, an adverse reaction of the drug is weight loss. I was able confirm this in multiple references

If you are having trouble losing weight or are still gaining weight please consult your doctor to see if your dosage of Synthoid should be increased.

Also, I just want to confirm what others have said: Synthroid should be taking preferably in the morning, in a fasted state.

PaleoPath4Lyfe

I just wanted to put in my 2 cents. I'm currently a pharmacy student and have access to many drug information references.

Synthroid will not make you gain weight. In fact, an adverse reaction of the drug is weight loss. I was able confirm this in multiple references

If you are having trouble losing weight or are still gaining weight please consult your doctor to see if your dosage of Synthoid should be increased.

Also, I just want to confirm what others have said: Synthroid should be taking preferably in the morning, in a fasted state.

I can speak from experience.

Synthroid will not have the weight loss effect if your T4 is not converting to T3 in the proper ratios as Synthroid is a T4 med only.

Some people need to add Cytomel so that you have proper amounts of T3 hormone.

I was not losing any weight when on Synthroid at all. I didn't gain any more weight, but I wasn't losing either. My Naturopathic M.D. changed me over to Armour Thyroid and I was able to start losing weight.

Armour is dessicated porcine thyroid gland, so it is complete with both in one form.

firstsip

I just wanted to put in my 2 cents. I'm currently a pharmacy student and have access to many drug information references.

Synthroid will not make you gain weight. In fact, an adverse reaction of the drug is weight loss. I was able confirm this in multiple references

If you are having trouble losing weight or are still gaining weight please consult your doctor to see if your dosage of Synthoid should be increased.

Also, I just want to confirm what others have said: Synthroid should be taking preferably in the morning, in a fasted state.

I can speak from experience.

Synthroid will not have the weight loss effect if your T4 is not converting to T3 in the proper ratios as Synthroid is a T4 med only.

Some people need to add Cytomel so that you have proper amounts of T3 hormone.

I was not losing any weight when on Synthroid at all. I didn't gain any more weight, but I wasn't losing either. My Naturopathic M.D. changed me over to Armour Thyroid and I was able to start losing weight.

Armour is dessicated porcine thyroid gland, so it is complete with both in one form.

You're misunderstand what the pony person said, though. Synthroid CAN'T make you gain weight; the hypothyroidism may cause weight gain or slow weight loss, and either a poor body chemical reaction to Synthroid, or a too-low dosage of Synthroid, may not correct it. Synthroid =/= weight gain.

Dgross1

Hi Jennifer!
I am new to MFP. I have been doing Weight Watchers online since January.

I had 1/2 of my thyroid removed 4 years ago. I am on Synthroid. I was told to take my Synthroid and then wait an hour to eat. I normally do that but I exercise first thing in the morning. If I don't eat a little bit of something I can't make it through my workout. I would double check with your physician the next time you go.

I have lost 40 lbs since January, 2012. It has been very slow and I have had to fight for each pound. I have had to really watch what I eat and make sure I exercise. It's been tough but doable.

Hang in there. Be consistent with your eating. Hope this helps.

Sounds like my situation. I had 1/2 my thyroid removed in 2008. I gained 15-20 lbs in about 6 weeks. It's taken me a long time to get them off. However, just recently (this year) I must have figured out what works for me because I am losing weight. I've been very dedicated to working out and eating better, but I still feel like I'm fighting for each pound and inch lost.

It may take your doctor a while to get the right doseage of levothyroxine figured out. He/She may play with the doseage until they find what works for your body. I agree with the other posters, I take mine first thing in the morning and eat about an hour later. I also avoid taking vitamins until later in the day just to make sure nothing interferes with the levo.

Sadagopan84

Hi,
My name is Sada, I am 28 year old(M). I had problem with my thyroid during my college days. Doc told they have to remove complete thyroid to save the life so they removed thyoid( which is worst than hypothyroid) I am taking my med for about 4 years now. I had problem with my weight for a long time. I am able to reduce weight by proper exercise and taking thyroid tablets every day at same time.
so there wont be any issue for you to loose weight provided you take the tablets daily at same time as suggested by doc. I am lost nearly 3 lbs in a month by doing exercise and eating proper food. Consult a doc if you still not loosing weight.

sleepytexan

Synthroid is horrible. Get off before it's too late. All the thyroid drugs shut down your thyroid completely. Google this and found out the truth before you are one of the unlucky.

Instead of replacing the hormone that your thyroid is sluggishly producing, thus causing your thyroid to give up altogether, instead you need to kick your thyroid into gear.

You might want to consult a naturopath, holistic health provider or chiropractor (yes! natural, non-drug prescribing physicians actually work), you may get some advice on supplements to build your thyroid back up instead of shutting it down by replacing the hormone. One such supplement is called Thytrophin PMG; you can buy it on Amazon; it's very cheap and very effective.

I was on thyroid drugs for 7 years with no effective symptom management. It was only when my prescription (Armour Thyroid) became temporarily unavailable in the US, that I looked for an alternative and found this. It literally saved my life.

2 years later, I have NO hypothyroid symptoms (previously had been diagnosed with Hashimoto's), and that means I have completely normal blood levels, throat scans show NO goiters, no fatigue, no more hair loss, no more gray skin, cracking nails -- none of the problems I had, that never improved with drugs.

Feel free to PM me if you'd like to hear more.

blessings,

Nearly 2 years on Synthroid and I have no hypothyroid symptoms, completely normal blood levels, clear scans, no fatigue, hair is growing in and skin and nails are fine. Your experience is unfortunate, but certainly not typical for Synthroid.

actually it's typical enough that there's a pending class action . . .

EDIT: BTW, this is not the first class action against Synthroid.

sleepytexan

If you're up for a whole hella lotta reading, here's a fantastic explanation of thyroid, adrenals and how the whole dang system works.

Anyone with thyroid dysfunction needs their adrenals checked BEFORE going on thyroid meds. MDs are supposed to know this, but many of them just prescribe, prescribe, prescribe, without the full picture.

It's actually very dangerous to be on thyroid meds if you have an unaddressed adrenal dysfunction.

Take a read, or at least a scan of the following:

http://personal.bellsouth.net/w/u/wurmstei/

Kloss914

bump for endo information....